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X-Men Vol 1 31
| StoryTitle1 = We Must Destroy...the Cobalt Man! | Writer1_1 = Roy Thomas | Penciler1_1 = Werner Roth | Inker1_1 = John Tartaglione | Letterer1_1 = Sam Rosen | Editor1_1 = Stan Lee | Synopsis1 = After a successful test for Angel, Iceman, and Beast in the Danger Room, the Professor commends the X-Men for being at peak fighting capacity and also congratulates the group over their recent victories against Banshee, the Ogre, Super-Adaptoid, and Warlock in spite of the fact of their losing Mimic when his powers were lost. With that said, the Professor awards his students with time off much to the delight of the whole group and they decide to spend time in the city. When the Professor notices that Cyclops is once more brooding over Jean, he gives Scott some books to return to her at Metro College. To Scott's surprise, Warren offers him a lift to go visit Jean. Meanwhile, Bobby and Hank get ready to go on another date with Vera and Zelda. In the city, Jean is hanging out with Ted Roberts, when they are both greeted by the arrival of his brother, inventor Ralph Roberts. When they hear about Ralph's athletic prowess, they go to the Metro College stadium where Ralph shows off his pole vaulting skills. However, the pole snaps and Ralph ends up hitting his head. When Jean and Ted show concern, Ralph merely shrugs off the injury. Later, Scott and Warren meet up with Jean, Ralph, and Ted at the Never-Say-Diner where Scott drops off Jean's books. When Ralph extends his invitation to Warren and Scott to see his lab, Scott agrees but Warren declines finding the visit to the lab as unappealing; politely declining, Warren parts company. Meanwhile, Bobby and Hank are on their date with Vera and Zelda. When beatnik poet Bernard attempts to make a play on Zelda, Bobby secretly freezes the poet’s coffee with his ice powers. Warren decided to go to a dance club where Warren runs into an old friend, Candy Southern, and the two begin to play catch up. At Ralph's lab, Ralph shows off the various inventions he has created that operate off Cobalt power. He takes Ralph aside to show him his latest invention as well: a suit of Cobalt Powered armor that he hopes will rival that of Iron Man. Putting on the suit at Ted's insistence, the combination of his previous head injury and the Cobalt power of the armor causes Ralph to go crazy and he recklessly shows off his powers. When Ted mentions Iron Man, Ralph (calling himself Cobalt Man) snaps and strikes Ted down and then begins destroying his lab. Alerted by the noise, Scott and Jean change into Cyclops and Marvel Girl and attempt to stop Cobalt Man's rampage. Although the two put up a good fight, they are buried under rubble when Cobalt Man attempts to bring the roof down on them, allowing Cobalt Man to escape and attack the Stark Industries plant. Saved by Jean's telekinetic powers, Cyclops calls for help, prompting the Professor (still working in his lab) to summon the other X-Men to Cyclops and Marvel Girl's aid. Bobby, Hank, and Warren all have to make excuses to leave their female company. While Zelda and Vera are less than impressed, Warren and Candy part on good terms with Warren promising to call her the next day. Back at Ralph's plant, Scott and Jean free themselves, ducking out of site when the revived Ted hops into his brother’s van to rush off and try and stop him from destroying Stark's plant. As Ted races off unknowingly leading Cyclops and Marvel Girl along the way, Warren picks up Bobby and Hank and they arrive at the Stark plant first. With Iron Man away on other business, the plant is defenseless against Cobalt Man until Angel, Iceman, and Beast arrive to stop his attack. Despite their best efforts, Cobalt Man manages to give the three X-Men the slip. As Cobalt Man continues his attack, Ted, Cyclops, and Marvel Girl arrive on the scene. Cyclops quickly comes up with a strategy to stop Cobalt Man. Realizing their foes chest plate must be the source of his power, Cyclops has Iceman trap Cobalt Man in a chunk of ice long enough for Cyclops to blast the chest plate. Unaware that his powers have been disabled, Cobalt Man attempts to fly away but instead falls into a nearby lake to be recovered by Angel. Removing Cobalt Man's helmet, all gathered are relieved to find that Ralph's sanity has been returned to normal. Ralph realizes that some sources are too powerful for man to handle. In the aftermath of the battle, Ted thanks the X-Men for their help and hints that he may have figured out that Marvel Girl is really Jean Grey. | Appearing1 = Featured Characters: * ** ** ** ** ** ** Supporting Characters: * * * * * Antagonists: * * ** ** * * Other Characters: * Coffee A Go-Go patrons * Never-Say Diner customers * While Iron Man appears in one panel, he doesn't actually appear in the *story*, the panel is just there to explain that Iron Man is currently busy elsewhere and thus not around to defend his factory. * * * Locations: ** *** **** ***** *** **** ***** ****** Metro College Stadium ***** ***** ***** ****** ***** ***** ***** *** **** **** Items: * * Vehicles: * Ralph Roberts' truck * Warren Worthington III's Mustang | Notes = * Ted Roberts begins to suspect that Jean Grey and Scott Summers are really Marvel Girl and Cyclops respectively. * Candy Southern's name is misspelled as Sothern in this issue. * credits: ** Let's Hear It For Merry Marvel's Own Peerless Periodic Table! ** Good-as-Gold Editing by: Stan Lee ** Solid-Silver Scripting by: Roy Thomas ** Platinum-Plated Pencilling by: Werner Roth ** Iridium-Bright Inking by: John Tartaglione ** Lead-Lined Lettering by: Sam Rosen ** Stable Elements All! * references: and | Trivia = * Those credited are applauded with the approbation "Stable elements all". (As opposed to the cobalt in the cobalt man suit, for instance, which is radioactive). * In Page 4, Panel 1, Professor X asks Scott to give Jean back the books the X-Men used when Kukulcan was posessing El Tigre. * Ralph mentions that he's making a ship that can travel to the Earth's Core. The X-Men will use this ship later in | Recommended = | Links = }} References